BBC and Disney Branded Television have struck a deal to put Doctor Who exclusively on Disney+ internationally outside of the U.K. and Ireland. Domestically the series will continue to be available on BBC.
Doctor Who will hit Disney+ by late next year when the new season arrives. We will get Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa in the role of the beloved British series. The direction will be guided by showrunner Russell T. Davies, who took over the series in 2005. It will be produced in Wales by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios Production.
Doctor Who landing on Disney+ internationally for the next season
Currently, three specials are arriving in November 2023 before Gatwa takes over officially for the foreseeable future as the Time Lord. The episodes will see David Tennant, the 10th Doctor from 2005 to 2010, reprising his role with Catherine Tate. This comes after Jodie Whittaker ended her tenure as the first Doctor in the series history, which dates back to 1963.
The move to put Doctor Who on Disney+ has come as the company continues to grow its streaming platform to rival other platforms. It launched in 2019 and has spread to 42 countries around the world. As of the end of the last fiscal quarter on July 2, it has had 152 million subscribers. As it offers a bundle with Hulu and ESPN, it launches the number to over 220 million subscribers. It currently carries Fox properties like Simpsons, Dancing with the Stars, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar movies, and more.
Gatwa is not even the Doctor yet and has received praise for being cast in the series. Matt Smith, who was in the role from 2010 to 2013, has given his support to the Sex Education actor. By December, the fans will be able to decide how they feel about Gatwa as the Time Lord when Doctor Who transports to Disney+.
